Privacy walls, bodega, stairs and guests

 The privacy walls where plastered, but when you touched them the plaster came off in pieces.  Soooo, we had to take the plaster off and redo.  As seen the plaster was put on painted brick without any prep.  We had to put chicken wire up and then replaster.

  The bricks on the bodega are cemented differently, not long ways.  This was done because the bodega will house out cistern too.

The cementing of the cistern and then special paint.   Almost done with the bodega.

 

 The stairs being formed and then the cement goes on.

The stairs are anchored to the wall.  This is the outside wall with the rebar. 

                 

The basic stairs.

The floor of the upstairs being poured.  Everyone on their toes.  Buckets and buckets of cement being hauled up.

The cement mixer was smoking.

 The thickness of the upstairs floor.

 Our first wildlife visitor.  He was actually in the house one night and I didn't see him, as of coarse no lights yet, and he hopped out at me.

 The upstairs being bricked.









Finally we can sit upstairs!
This is the sunrise.  Currently the sunrise is around 7:40 a.m.

More beams, kitchen and boveda ceiling

 The workers riding the backhoe, with only inches to spare on the motor home.  Then barely missing the castillos.  Once in place the other workers grab the beams and haul them across and into place on top of the dalas.

 Next comes the placement of the bricks for the boveda ceiling.  They made forms to fit between the cement beams.   Then they climb on top to lay the bricks and cement them in place  After they very carefully remove the form and put it in place behind the cemented bricks and do the next set.









You can see one of the forms and  full bay completed.

 Ceiling in the main room done!







The cement and mortar are all hauled with these wheelbarrows.









The kitchen is starting.  They use panelray and then build it up with cement.  The corners where anchored with rebar.

 Looks like the counters are hanging in air, but they are anchored into the wall with rebar.

 Ready for the polished concrete counter tops.












The pick-up truck came by with plants.  I couldn't resist!  I'll need tons more, but it's nice to see some green around all the construction site with gray walls and dirt.

The ceilings in the bathroom, closet and laundry are done with very thick Styrofoam and cemented and plastered.

Post, Curves and backhoe

 We have been out of internet for a long time now.  Can't remember what has been posted and what hasn't.    Currently sitting in a restaurant having lunch so I can catch up.


The front of the house will have pillars, but the dala had to be poured so they added to the pillars with brick and plaster to create a semi circle.  It's amazing what they can do with brick and plaster.


All the windows and doors will have arches, so first make a typical square and then make the curves with pieces of rebar and plaster.   Notice the anchors to hold the forms in place are also made of rebar!

 There was lots of debris and mounds of dirt around the casa.  This had to be moved to get to the back corner of the house to dig out the bodega and cistern.   Very tight quarters around the house.  It was nerve racking seeing him drive around the house, but then he had to back out!






The cement beams are starting to go in.  Placed on the backhoe and two workers sitting in the bucket as they go around the corners of the house.

A day without construction

Living in a construction zone is getting a bit old, especially with the rain and all the muck.  The dark skies before the rain came down in buckets.

 So.. we decided to go to Villa Purification for lunch.  It's about an hours drive east.  It was nice to get away for a bit.

On the way a couple of men getting gasoline with the help of their horses.  You can tell the men were cold as they had their arms inside their shirts.










A typical back country bridge, only cement, no railings and one lane.









Not sure what these are, will have to ask some local people.  Just found them interesting.

Update--floors, electric and walls

 The past several days we have had rain so the construction has come to a stand still.  But, here are some updates.

One of the windows that will be placed along side the stairs.  Eventually it will have glass and a screen in the center.



The pouring of the floor is all done by hand.


Leveling and smoothing is done with a metal bar.















The floor is approximately 4 inches thick.








The center support beam has been poured and will have to set for several days.





The electric and plumbing is cut into the brick and then will be plastered over. 







Again nothing fancy with the ladder. 
 















Notice the balancing of the boards on the scaffolding.

 The back of the house with the ventaler blocks.  No exhaust fans.

 The bodega was started but for some reason not finished yet. 




The front wall got a little taller than planed because we wanted to match the existing wall on the street side.  The wall still needs the top dala and final coat of stucco.

Things of Interest and the Banking delima

 Found this little (BIG) moth? on the wall.  Don't grow them this big in Washington.

 While there were digging the foundations this pot turned up.  Raul thinks it is very old.













Tom wanted to set up a bank account in Mexico for the ease of paying the utility bill and taxes.
 
In March we had one set up and it was closed unexpectedly while we were on our way home.  Not much we could do at that point.  After several phone calls we were given the reason that the ID's we gave were not sufficient in Mexico City.  We were told by the local bank not to worry that they had our money in a check for when we came back.

True to their word the check was waiting, but we still wanted to open an account.  We had a copy of the electric bill to set up the Mufa and our fedicosimo showing we owned property.  This was NOT sufficient, only a paid electric bill would do!  So no bank account.  Now we have the electric bill, but we read there were new rules on opening an bank account, so we shall see. 

Tom went to Intercam and had a check issued to him.  Went to the bank and NO money at the bank!  It had been a holiday the day before and that day was also pay day for the locals that get paid every other week.  He had to wait for a delivery of money in the afternoon.  As he was waiting in line the armored truck came with the cash necessary to give all the people that had been waiting all day.  Not a common occurrence in the US for sure.  Something to think about when the banks are closed for a holiday.  No armored trucks come on those days.